Assault charge after Surry Hills siege

Ben Grubb, Ilya Gridneff

A man has been charged with assault following a siege in Surry Hills that ended when a shirtless man was escorted from a block of units by police and arrested.

"There were reports of a firearm sighted and police are yet to confirm that to be the case," Surry Hills Police Local Area commander Superintendent Tony Crandell said of the siege on Wednesday afternoon. The arrested man allegedly threatened another man in the block of units with the firearm, he said.

About 20 to 30 police attended the scene, including police from the tactical operations unit, negotiations unit and officers from Surry Hills Local Area Command.

The man who was arrested, a 36-year-old, was known to police, Superintendent Crandell said.